Wellington
Get your travel authorisation- Code:WGN
- Type:region
- Native name:Wellington Region
- Population:543,400 (2025)
- Area:8,140 km²
- Capital:Wellington
Introduction
Wellington region centres on its capital city, with the Kapiti Coast's beaches and island sanctuary as the region's one genuinely separate extension.
Overview
Wellington region's territory beyond the capital itself is mostly the Wairarapa wine country and south coast in the capital's own orbit, plus one area worth its own depth here: the Kapiti Coast, a string of beach towns roughly 45 minutes north of the city. Kapiti Island, just offshore, is a predator-free nature reserve reachable by guided boat trip and permit, home to birds rare or absent from the mainland, including the takahē and little spotted kiwi — a genuine day-trip destination in its own right rather than an incidental beach stop.
Discover Wellington
The Kapiti Coast runs along the sea roughly 45 minutes north of Wellington city, a string of beach towns (Paraparaumu, Waikanae, Otaki) that function partly as Wellington commuter towns and partly as their own low-key beach destination. Offshore, Kapiti Island is a predator-free nature reserve — introduced pests were eradicated over decades of dedicated work — that now shelters bird species rare or extinct on the mainland, including the takahē, once thought extinct itself until a small population was rediscovered in the 1940s, and the little spotted kiwi. Access requires a permit and a guided boat crossing rather than independent visits, a deliberate limit that protects the sanctuary's conservation value.
Ways to Experience This Destination
Beach towns north of Wellington, plus a predator-free island sanctuary reachable by permit and guided boat, home to the takahē and little spotted kiwi.
Frequently asked questions
Cities in Wellington
Treat this Visaja page as your starting point: verify the current rules directly with the official source before you submit an application.